


there are roads left in both of our shoes

by duCOQUELICOT



Series: Zutara Week 2020 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Soulmates, Spirit World shenanigans, Yue the Moon Spirit, Zutara Week, Zutara Week 2020, somewhat like the greek gods?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25589668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duCOQUELICOT/pseuds/duCOQUELICOT
Summary: In the Spirit World, Yue learns about the fate of her friends before they know it themselves. The spirits have their unique way of dealing with the material world and its inhabitants, and one of the most interesting ones is reincarnation. As it turns out, two people she knows have had their paths tied together since the beginning of time.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850281
Comments: 24
Kudos: 87
Collections: Zutara Week 2020





	there are roads left in both of our shoes

**Author's Note:**

> **I want to live where soul meets body  
>  and let the sun wrap its arms around me and  
> bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing  
> and feel  
> feel what it's like to be new  
>   
> \-- Death Cab for Cutie**

The land of milk and honey, beyond the clouds, is where the spirits live. Long ago, even before the first Avatar was ever born, they were already here, roaming the land that now belongs to humanity. Now, they reside in the place between the sun and the sky, where the fabric of reality is woven thinner. **  
**

That doesn't mean they can't observe the material word and its inhabitants any longer - on the contrary. 

Yue finds out about this when she ascends her mortal life and becomes the embodiment of the Moon Spirit. Her new astral form is lighter, too light to stay on the ground. She expected to be alone, but found company instead. Company that has been around for much longer than she can ever imagine.

There are so many different spirits, it's hard to keep track and it would be impossible to list them all. Suffice to say that there are animals, monsters, and human-like forms. In a different time, they have been called gods, or angels. In reality, they are all of those, and none of them.

Yue is welcomed with a seat at a long table. From here, she can see the ocean, and the world she once belonged to. If she stares for too long, her vision becomes blurry. 

For humans, the spirit world is a strange and confusing land. Only the bravest and kindest of heart are able to enter, and survive. For Yue, it feels as if she has arrived late to an elaborate dinner party. One that has been going on for centuries.

The only thing she's really interested in is the fate of her friends, and especially Sokka's. She has the advantage of being in nearly direct contact with Katara, through her bending. It makes it easy for her to know where they are. Every night, when it's her turn to shine, she descends as fast as she can to use the moonlight to get close to them, to put her ethereal hands on their faces as they sleep. She watches over them and likes to think that she protects them from harm.

Over the course of the next few months, she learns that the spirits, immortal as they are, have the benefit of having seen everything before already. Nothing that ever happens is new: apparently, they've been making the same twists and turns since the beginning of time, like winding roads.

And so this war, this cycle, its outcome has already been decided. At first, Yue is too afraid to ask, given that she has not yet become impervious to the perils of man. But then she overhears bits and pieces of conversations, and what she hears is enough to calm her senses - this ending, she can deal with.

It is around the time that Zuko joins Team Avatar when Yue is leaning over the edge of the clouds with a new friend she has made, a young woman whom the humans call 'The Painted Lady' but she confides in Yue that her true name is Esra. She was once a girl, too.

"Look!" Esra says, pointing down. 

"Where?"

"At him." 

Yue squints and sees the boy that she remembers as the haughty Fire Nation prince, who wanted to kidnap Aang and regain his honor. 

"What's he doing there? I thought he was with the Fire Nation." 

Esra smirks. "They always do this. There's always one." 

"What do you mean?"

"In every war, there's always one who sees the error of his ways. One who joins the other team and fights for the preservation of the world, instead of its destruction. Sometimes it's enough to tip the balance to their side. Sometimes it isn't."

They watch without speaking as the scenes below unfold. Yue can't say she's happy about the Kyoshi Warrior joining their team later on, but she can't be mad, either. Sokka looks happy. And it's not like they can ever be together again, with her being up here and him being down there.

Esra tugs at her sleeve, and Yue focuses on what's going on again.

"They're in love," her friend exclaims.

"Who? Sokka and Suki?"

"Oh, yes, them too," Esra says, waving her hand dismissively, unaware of the silent heartbreak she just caused. "But that's not who I meant. I meant _them_."

When Yue looks down, she sees Zuko and Katara, traveling on Appa towards the fight of their lives. They're going to confront Azula. Yue knows what's going to happen, but she feels a knot in her stomach anyway. The spirits know the outcome of the event, but they don't know what happens in between. It could still get messy.

"How do you know?" she says, because it's obvious that her friend is excited about this.

"I met her once, Katara," Esra says, her eyes kind of milky as she stares into the middle distance with a smile on her face. "She's a beautiful creature, and smart too. A perfect incarnation, so very true to form."

"True to form?"

Esra laughs, a sound like crystal bells tingling. "If I didn't know you were new around here, I'd say you haven't been paying attention. But you couldn't have known this."

She shifts her weight and looks Yue in the eye.

"From the beginning of time, when humans and spirits started roaming the earth and the skies, there have been connections that transcend lifetimes. The Avatar is one of them, the most visible one I dare say. They are reborn every cycle, and are able to connect with their past lives."

She glances downward, and Yue sees Zuko battling his sister. The flames rise up so high she can almost touch them.

"But in some cases, connections are formed between souls, as well. And that's the case with Zuko and Katara. Their souls are much older than they are, I dare even say they're ancient. But every cycle, again and again, they find each other."

As if to illustrate her point, Yue watches as Katara runs towards an injured Zuko and begins healing him. Even to her, the strength of their bond is unmistakable.

"But how is that possible? She's from the Southern Water Tribe, and he is the future Fire Lord. It would never work," she says with a heavy heart, as her fingers hold on to the betrothal necklace around her neck. This she knows all too well, from personal experience.

"Ah, but the heart always finds a way..." Esra laughs again, and it sounds like summer rain on a meadow.

"This union has been planned since their infancy, and even before then. It cannot be stopped. Its force is too powerful. Have you ever heard of Oma and Shu?"

Her friend briefly explains their bittersweet story. By the end, Yue's eyes are filled with tears.

"Are you saying they'll meet the same tragic fate?"

"Not every incarnation suffers as much, but suffering is inevitable," Esra nods. 

"You know Aang is in love with her, right?"

"The Avatar?"

Yue hums. Below them, their friends are gathered in Ba Sing Se, enjoying peace time. Now, it's her turn to point.

"Look. They're about to kiss."

Esra sticks out her head so far that Yue is afraid she's going to fall. 

"I can't believe it… you're right. Katara and Aang. Who would have thought that… But not to worry. They will find each other. It's written in the stars." 

"Do you know how?"

"Spirits don't know _everything_ , and that's probably for the better. That would take all the fun out of watching, wouldn't it?" 

"So it could take months."

"Months, or even years," her friend agrees. "We'll be here for a while longer."

Yue folds her hand into a fist and rests it against their lips. If they're meant to be together... Why wouldn't she be able to help them? Give their destinies a little push. 

"Are we allowed to… interfere?" she asks, hesitant to suggest that which she has formed in her mind.

Esra's eyes begin to sparkle. "What did you have in mind? Officially, I can't say yes, but spirits break the rules all the time. So yes, we can absolutely interfere."

"I think I have an idea," Yue says, chewing on the words before she says them aloud. "But I'm going to need your help."

Her friend claps her hands. 

"I'm so glad you've come up here. Now, at least there's someone who enjoys these romances as much as I do. Tell me what I can do." 

**Author's Note:**

> If you want this to continue, please let me know! :)


End file.
